Developing-cabinet for photographic purposes.



PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

B. 0. KEPLER. DEVELOPING CABINET FOR PHOTOGRAPHIG PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1905.

4%W 54 kjffiar No. 810,418. PATENTED JAN. 28,. 1906.

E. 0. KEPLER. DEVELOPING CABINET FOR PHOTOGRAPHIG PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

7 mn 6 RR UNITED s'rA rEs PATENT OFFICE.

EMANUEL O. KEPLER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

No. si e-1s.

Specification of Letters ?atent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

Application filed April 17, 1905. Serial No. 256,009.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMANUEL O. KEPLER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the city and county of Denver and State ofColorado, have invented a new and useful Developing-Cabinet forPhotographic Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in developing-cabinets forphotographic purposes.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provideta light, portable,knockdown cabinet which may be quickly assembled or taken apart andwhich in either case occupies but a small amount of space; second, toprovide a portable knockdown cabinet for the developing of photographicplates and cut films and for the reloading of plate-holders whereineither daylight or any character of artificial light may be employed,the artificial light when used being outside of the cabinet and in noway connected with it; third, to provide a portable knockdown cabinetwhich is operated from the outside and which is so arranged that theprogress of developing may be watched continuously or at intervalswithout danger of admitting light to the interior of the cabinet;fourth, to provide a light, compact, knockdown cabinet forphotographicplate developing and for the reloading of plate-holderscomprising a framework covered with a suitable light-proof material,which is provided at the sides with openings through which the hands'may be inserted or withdrawn without admitting daylight and which isprovided with a spring-controlled sight-opener, through which theoperator may inspect the work being done in the cabinet eithercontinuously or at intervals, the said cover being provided with a glassof the proper color which will admit light, thus enabling the operatorto properly perform his work.

The invention further consists of certain details of construction, whichare fully set forth in the accompanying specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of theframework of the cabinet, the light-proof cover being removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the cabinet as itappears when ready for use. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectionalview on the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a vertical transversesectional view through the improved sight-opener, taken on line A 4 ofFig. 5.

the framework disconnected one from the other.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a pairof horizontallydisposed strips which form the base of the framework ofthe improved cabinet. These strips are connected at their ends by strips2 and centrally by a strip 3. The side'strips are provided centrally andadjacent to one end with mortises A and 5, respectively, and in themortises 4 are inserted tenons 6 upon the lower ends of posts 7, whilein the mortises 5 are inserted tenons 8 upon the lower ends of posts 9.The posts 7 and 9 are formed with tenons 10 and 11, respectively, upontheir upper ends, and the posts 9 are shorter than the posts 7. Arectangular frame 12 is supported by the posts 7 and 9, and this frameis provided at its four corners with mortises 13, which fit upon thetenons at the upper ends of the said posts. The four posts and the frame12 form the framework of the forward or main portion of the cabinet. Theframe 12 is so formed that its rear half is on a horizontal plane, whilethe forward half inclines at an angle of substantially forty-livedegrees. A strip 14 extends across this frame at the junction of thehorizontal and inclined portions, dividing the main frame into twosmaller frames, and the inner edges of the inclined frame 12 thus formedare rabbeted for a slight depth to receive and support an improved sightopener and closer device 15, which affords a view of the interior of thecabinet and which will hereinafter be fully described.

The side strips 1 are rabbeted on their innor edges, as shown in Fig. 3,and a pair of suitable slideways 16 are fitted in the rabbets orrecesses so as to lie flush with the upper faces of the strips. Theinner edges of the side strips and of the strips 2 and 3 have an inwardslant or incline, and these side and end strips, together with themiddle strip, form two rectangular openings, in each of which issupported a suitable tray. These trays 17 and 18 have slanting sides, asis usual, and as the sides of the openings are likewise slanted thetrays will be supported, as shown in Fig. 2. Within the slideways arefitted a pair of horizontal sliding covers or lids 19 and 20, which arearanged to slide one above the other, so that either cover may Fig. 5 isa bottom plan view therer of, and Fig. 6 is a view showing the parts ofbe slid to either end of the cabinet. A pair of rails 21 are hinged tothe posts 7 a suitable distance above their lower ends, and these railsextend to the rear end of the cabinet and are connected by a strip 22.These rails have short uprights secured to their ends, which rest uponthe side strips 1 and support the said rails, and these uprights andrails form the framework of a second chamber rear of the main chamber,which is much less in height than the main chamber to permit of a windowof colored glass being placed in the rear end of the said main chamber.

The entire cabinet is inclosed by a suitable light-proof fabric 23,preferably black rubber cloth, which is fashioned to conform to theoutlines of the cabinet. This cover may be secured to the cabinet bypassing its lower edges under the side and end strips 1 and 2, which areprovided with hooks 24, which engage openings in the edges of the coveror by any other suitable fastening device which will serve to hold thecover in place. The sides of the cover adjacent to the forward end ofthe cabinet are formed somewhat after the fashion of a loose sleeve,through which the hands may be passed into the cabinet. hese sleeves 25are provided at their ends vith hems which inclose elastic bands 26,that draw the ends of the sleeves together, so as to normally excludethe light, and when the hands are passed through the ends of the sleevesinto the cabinet the elastic bands will draw the sleeves closely aroundthe wrists, and thus prevent the entrance of light. The length of thesesleeves will permit of the free use of the hands and arms in developingthe plates or reloadingthe plate-holders.

The portion of the cover which extends across the rear end of the mainpart of the cabinet supports a red-glass plate 27, through which lightis admitted to the cabinet. A hole is cut in the cover a little smallerthan the size of the glass plate, and around the edges of the hole arestitched or otherwise secured metal clips 28, which are bent over theedge of the plate and securely hold it in place. The improvedsight-opener 15 comprises a cap 29, which is preferably substantially ofthe form of a frustum of a pyramid, the top of which is provided with apair of sightopenings 30, beneath which is hinged a shutter 31, whichnormally closes the openings 30. To the forward edge of the top of thecap is hinged a plate 32, having an opening33, which registers with theopenings in the cap. A clip 34 is secured adjacent to the rear edge ofthe shutter 31 and midway of its length, and this clip extends upthrough an opening in the top of the cap. A similar clip 35 is securednear the upper edge of the hinged plate 32, and these clips areconnected by an arm l 36, the ends of which are pivoted to the clips. Acoiled spring 36, which encircles the arm 36, is interposed between thecap and hinged cover at the forward end plate and normally holds theupper end of the plate away from the cap, and the shutter 31, beingconnected to the plate by the arm 36, is thus held against the top ofthe cap, so as to cover the openings 30. Vhen, however, the plate ispressed down, the arm 36 will press on the shutter and swing it out, soas to entirely uncover the openings 30 in the cap and permit anunobstructed view of the interior of the cabinet. A screen 37 is securedupon the front side of the hinged plate, and this screen is adapted tofit around the forehead and sides of the face, as in the case of theordinary stereoscope, and a depression 38 is formed, partly in the topand partly in the forward side of the cap, in which the nose will rest.The edge of the screen and the depression are faced with a suitablepadding material, which will not only cushion the pressure of the faceagainst the screen, but will it around the face and nose so as toprevent the entrance of light to the interior of the cabinet when theplate is pressed down by the face of the operator.v

A shelf 39 may be secured to one of the posts 7 or 9, upon which anordinary graduate may be placed.-

In operation the cabinet is arranged as shown in Fig. 2, and one of thetrays may be filled with water, while the other may be filled with asuitable chemical, such as thiosulfate of soda. The tray not inimmediate use may be covered by its sliding lid, while the lid of theother tray is pushed back, under, or over, as the case may be, so as tobe out of the way, and a tray containing developing liquid may be placedupon one of the lids, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The frontportion of the light-proof cover may be unfastened at the bottom, so asto pass whatever is required into the cabinet. A rack 40 is secured tothe strips 21 at the rear of the cabinet and serves to hold theplate-holders.

hen everything has been arranged for developing the plates, the operatorpasses his hands through the sleeves 25 and presses his face against thescreen 37, which will depress the plate 32 and open the shutter 31, thusaffording a view of the interior of the cabinet, which is lighted by thelight which comes through the red-glass plate 27. The operator may nowproceed to develop the plates and during the process may remove hishands from the sleeves or his face from the hinged plate 32 without anydanger of admitting light to the cabinet. After the developing iscompleted the plates and other objects within the cabinet may be removedby unfastening the of the cabinet, as previously described.

When the cabinet is to be carried from place to place, the cover isremoved and the cabinet is taken apart, as shown by Fig. 6, after whichit may be packed in a suitable receptacle, so as to occupy but littlespace.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A cabinet for the purpose described,com prising a frame, composed ofhorizontal side strips having slideways on their inner edges, andprovided centrally and at one end with mortises, said strips beingconnected centrally and at the ends by cross-strips; upright postshaving tenons which enter the mortises of said horizontal strips; aframe upon the top of said posts, the front portion of which inclines; acap upon the inclined portion of the frame, having sight-openings and ashutter for normally closing said openings; a frame hinged near thelower ends of the rear posts, which extends to the ends of and restsupon the hori- Zontal strips; sliding lids in said slideways; trays insaid frame beneath said lids; and a light proof 'cover for said frame,having sleeves at the sides thereof and a window of colored glass.

2. A cabinet for the purpose specified, comprising a horizontalplatform, having rectangular, tray-supporting openings; and trays insaid openings; sliding covers above said trays; upright posts at thecenter and at one end of said platform; a frame upon the top of saidposts, the forward portion of which is at an incline; strips securednear the bottom of said center posts and extending to the rear end ofthe platform, and uprights for supporting the rear ends thereof; alight-proof cover for the frame thus formed, which conforms to theoutline thereof, and thereby forms two chambers of unequal height; acolored-glass window 111 one end of the taller chamber; hand-receivingsleeves upon the sides of said cover, and a cap upon the inclinedportion of the said top frame, having sight-openings, and aspring-controlled shut ter for normally closing said openings.

3. A cabinet for the purpose described,com prising two light-proofchambers of unequal height, the larger of which is provided withhand-receiving openings in its sides, a sightopening in its top and acolored-glass window in its end adjoining the smaller chamber, and atray in the bottom of each chamber, and a sliding cover over each tray.

4. A cabinet for the purpose described,comprising two light-proofchambers of unequal height, the smaller of which is hinged to the largerchamber, a tray in the bottom of each chamber, and a sliding cover overeach tray, and having the larger chamber of the two provided with acolored-glass window in its end adjoining the smaller chamber, andpositioned above the smaller chamber, and also provided withhand-openings in its sides and with a sight-opening in its top.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMANUEL O. KEPLER.

Witnesses:

Gr. SARGENT ELLIOTT, Bnssrn THOMPSON.

